He was named best producer at the Brit awards in 1983, 1985 and 1992, and won a Grammy in 1995 when Seal's Kiss from a Rose was named record of the year.

Over the last decade, the sweeping hits have continued - with Russian duo Tatu, X-Factor runners-up G4 and Robbie Williams on Reality Killed the Video Star, an album named in honour of the producer's breakthrough hit.

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Horn (left) played in Robbie Williams' band at the BBC Electric Proms in 2009

His eclectic outlook has also seen him lend his polish to such indie acts as Belle & Sebastian, Kid Harpoon, Captain and Delays.

Most recently he produced Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow's duet Shame - recorded, along with part of Take That's reunion album Progress, at his Sarm West studios in west London.

He was also at the controls for guitar legend Jeff Beck's album Emotion and Commotion, up for seven Grammy awards in February.

Horn received a standing ovation from his peers in the music industry when he was bestowed with an outstanding contribution honour at the Ivor Novello songwriting awards in London last May.

A few months later, the Buggles reformed for a one-off gig to raise money for the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability in London.

It was, he said, "a very special cause, one that's close to my heart".

His words hinted at a family tragedy five years ago when his wife and business partner Jill Sinclair was accidentally shot in the neck with an air rifle by their son, leaving her in a coma.

"You soon discover that the things money brings aren't important," he told a newspaper last year.